Projectile weapons are mostly relatively primitive devices that accelerate and direct bullets or other solid objects toward a target to achieve damaging effects by direct application of kinetic energy. Hand-held projectile weapons are also known as firearms. Such weapons have been used by most species prior to the development of directed energy weapontechnologies. Despite their "primitiveness", projectile weapons were still considered potent, effective, and reliable weapons by many civilizations in the 23rd and 24th centuries.

Mortar-type grenade launchers were standard-issue weaponry used by Starfleet in the late 2260s. (TOS: "Arena") Torpedo launchers were used on starships and other space craft and installations as projectile weapons, accelerating a torpedo for launch. While some types of torpedoes couldn't be fired without a launcher, most types of torpedoes had internal engines to sustain their flight. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; et al.)

The Kolaran weapon props were sold at the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay, and were modified replica-guns of the Valtro shotgun [1], the FN Herstal P-90 [2], the Glock 17 [3], the Vickers machine gun styled buggy-turret guns [4] and other carbines. [5]. In the shooting script of the film, the Kolaran weapons were were called primitive plasma weapons, though in the final film they clearly appeared to be regular projectile weapons. [6]